Standing In The Light
by Blood Always Tells
Summary: A new enemy has appeared in Narnia, one that has the ability to use magic at will. But he is not the only one who has this power. Now, Nyssa must choose between good and evil, life or death. R'n'R! Takes place 5 years after Narnia 2: Prince Caspian.
1. Running Away

**OK, so this is my first fanfic for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. I saw it on Monday, and it was amazing! I cried at the end though, but you know what, who didn't? It was sad! Anyway, I'm sure you all are wondering wheher this is a Suspian trucker. It probably won't be. My OC might be romantically involved w/ Capsian; she may not be. You will have to find out by reading!**

**I do not own The Chronicles of Narnia.**

* * *

I

"My lady?"

Nystaurë glanced away from the bedroom window to face her servant, Alqua, standing in the doorway. Her pretty, slightly wrinkled face reflected worry in the dim light of the flame from the candle she held. She was fully dressed, her apron tucked into the front of her bodice; she was carrying Nystaurë's sword on her back. '_What does she need at this hour of the night?_' thought the young woman.

"Yes? What is it?" replied Nystaurë, instantly alert. Her exotic voice was sharp and muted. Her accent, however, was not as, _Telmarine_. as some others in her village.

"You must come quickly," whispered Alqua.

Nystaurë knew better than to question Alqua when she had that tone of voice. She stood up quickly, her navy blue dress swishing around her as she rushed after her servant and dear friend. Alqua led her off the staircase to what appeared to be a solid wall, until Alqua pushed a certain spot and the wall slid away, revealing a hidden staircase full of dust and cobwebs. Brushing away some cobwebs, Alqua led her mistress down the flight of stairs into a large, cavernous room.

"What's wrong, Alqua? Where are you taking me?" demanded Nyssa, but Alqua placed a hand over the young lady's mouth.

"Hush, my lady," whispered Alqua urgently, and she took Nyssa hand and pulled her through a tunnel to the left of the room. "We have no time for explaining. Some things must be left unsaid until needed to be said," the maid added, and she grabbed Nyssa's arm tightly and pulled her along.

Alqua dragged her through the tunnel, the candle casting shadows along the dirt floor. Strange images of monsters rising from the darkness flashed through Nyssa's mind. After several minutes, Alqua brought her to a ladder. Nyssa climbed up first, Aqua right behind her. When she pushed open the top of the vertical tunnel, she saw that she was in the armory in her town. She crawled out of the tunnel to let Alqua climb out. Alqua lit the nearby torches with the candle, and the room was alight, making the weapons and armor in the room gleam.

"Why are we here, Alqua?" whispered Nyssa, but the maid once again held up a finger to silence her. Then Alqua undid her apron, and out fell a white linen shirt, a pair of leather breeches, a leather jerkin, a black wool cloak, and a wide belt with a loop large enough to carry a sword inside it.

"What is all this?" exclaimed Nyssa.

"You will need this tonight, my lady," murmured Alqua before extracting an oak short bow and a full quiver and throwing it in the pile. She then grabbed the apron and hung it up between two pillars in front of Nyssa, backing her into the wall. "Change, quickly!"

Nyssa obliged. She threw off her dress, corset, and petticoats and hurriedly pulled on the clothes laid out for her. She strapped the quiver and bow to her back and tore down the apron as she was finishing tying the jerkin over her chest. Alqua handed her a pair of mail backed gloves and found a pair of leather boots. She slipped her sword onto her belt and donned the gloves and boots just as Alqua came closer to speak to her.

"I will tell you now why I took you from your room and brought you her, Nyssa," said Alqua sadly, and Nyssa braced herself. "When you were young, your mother, bless her, captured the heart of a young mage, and he courted her. She, at first, loved him, until he began to practice black magic. She then spurned him by marrying your father -"

"What does this have to do with me?" hissed Nyssa.

Alqua looked straight into Nyssa's eyes, and her breath caught in her throat. She knew that look.

"His name is Nerulundo. He is a ruthless man, my lady, and he has declared war on Narnia," muttered Alqua.

"Why?" asked Nyssa, more curious than afraid. Alqua stared at her, tears brimming in her eyes.

"He is coming for you, Nyssa. He will be here within the hour. Don't you see?! If he couldn't have your mother, he will have you!" said the old maid passionately, shaking Nyssa until her teeth rattled "And if he cannot have you, then no one will," she added solemnly. "Remember that. Now, you must rouse your sister and father while I rouse the village. You must take your sister and ride to the capital and raise the alarm. It is a day's hard ride from here. His Majesty, King Caspian, will help you. When Allissia is awake, you must get her out of here at once. Saddle up Lintal; he is the fastest horse in Narnia."

"What about you?" exclaimed, the volume in her voice rising passionately. "I will not leave you and father behind! I will not leave anyone in this town behind!"

"Hush!" whispered Alqua, and Nyssa fell silent but still glared at the maid. "Your father and I will stay behind and help the neighbors reach safety. Besides, you will ride faster with just Allissia and yourself," she added, a sad smile on her weathered face.

"But why is this Nerulundo so dangerous?" asked Nyssa. "He is just a man!"

"No, my lady," said Alqua fiercely, her voice returning to normal volume with the sharpness of her voice. "He is not."

"Then what is he?" cried Nyssa.

"Someone who is not to be trifled with!" hissed Alqua. "He has allied of a race of brutish creatures that he has summoned from another realm; he has brought them here, to Narnia, and he is more powerful now than any other. He will kill you quickly if you defy him. You must not be seen by him. Now, you must go!" cried Alqua, and Nyssa ran out of the armory and into the central square of the town.

It was surprisingly peaceful in the town as Nyssa raced through the streets back towards her large home. '_The calm before the storm_,' thought Nyssa miserably as she raced past the dark homes of her friends and neighbors, people who were in grave danger at this moment. She reached her home, throwing the door, and rushed up the large staircase to her father's bedchamber. She threw open the heavy wooden door, creating a loud banging sound and causing her father to jump awake. After a few moments of grogginess, her father recognized her through heavy lids.

"Nyssa?" he mumbled in surprise. "What are you doing in my bedroom? And for the Gods sake, why are you wearing men's clothing?"

"Father, you must get up," she replied, trying to maintain a calm pretense. "There is a large army heading this way."

"An army?" garbled Thanos, not taking his daughter seriously. "Well, they can take themselves right back to h-"

"Father?" cut off Nyssa, a thought dawning on her, " do you someone name Nerulundo?"

She heard her father's sharp outtake of breath, the sound like a hiss. She already knew the answer.

"How do you know of Nerulundo?" said her father's sharp and commanding voice. He was wide awake now.

"He is coming here, Father," she answered simply, lighting the candles in the room.

"What?! But how -"

"There is no time for that now," interrupted Nyssa, and she looked straight into her father's honey brown eyes, eyes so unlike her own. Her eyes were a rather bright hazel with specks of gold; her father said she had her mother's eyes. "You must get the men ready for battle. Alqua is rousing the village as we speak."

"What of you and Allissia?" asked her father, propelling himself from the bed and grabbing his breeches. Nyssa looked as she spoke.

"Alqua has arranged for us to escape. I am to take her with me to the capital and raise the alarm," she said softly.

"He's coming for you, isn't he?" Thanos said, and he grabbed his daughter's chin and met her eyes. Nyssa could do nothing but nod. Thanos sighed and released Nyssa as he turned away. "I knew this day would come. I assume Alqua told you why he is coming for you?"

"Yes," whispered Nyssa. Thanos sighed again.

All of a sudden, the tolling of large bell, from the bell tower made them all jump.

"Alqua," said Nyssa, realizing who was ringing the bell. "Father, get ready for battle. He will be here within the hour. And," she paused and then threw her arms around her father's waist as tears spilled from her eyes, "be safe, please."

Her father placed a large hand on his daughter's back, rubbing it gently to comfort her. "I will," he said. "Now, you must rouse Allissia and both of you must get out of here. Make sure, when you see your brother Mocron, that you tell him I bid him hello."

Nyssa nodded let go of her father and ran down the hall to her room. She flung the doors of her wardrobe open and pulled out her special treasure chest she had had since she was but a small child. With the key on the chain around her neck, she undid the lock, opened it, and found her mother's necklace, a beautiful pendant such a rich blue color that it almost seemed to glow. She pulled it over head and tucked inside her shirt, locked the box, hid it again, and ran to Allissia's room.

"Alli, wake up!" yelled Nyssa, causing her sister to jump almost a foot in the air.

"Nyssa?" said her 13-year-old sister, brushing back her dark brown plait of hair and rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands. "What-"

"No time to ask questions," interrupted Nyssa, opening her sister's wardrobe and grabbing a dress, petticoats, and a thick black cloak and throwing them at her sister. "Put this on." Alli complied. The rather important personality trait that she and her sister shared was the fact that they didn't ask questions when they were told to do something. Allissia donned her outfit and then Nyssa gave her a leather vest.

"For protection," explained Nyssa when her sister opened her mouth to speak. Her sister finished dressing and Nyssa grabbed her and pulled her down the stairs.

"Nyssa!" whispered Allissia furiously as she and her sister raced for the stables, passing men racing in the opposite direction, towards the armory. Nyssa turned around and placed her index finger to her lips to single quiet from her sister. Allissia rolled her eyes as she and Nyssa reached the stables. Nyssa forced her younger sister to sit on a large bale of hay while she saddled up Lintal, a beautiful horse with a white coat, a gray rippling mane, and a black stocking his front right leg.. Lintal neighed in anticipation; his mistress had not ridden him in so long.

"Nyssa?" said Allissia softly, and the tone in her voice made Nyssa freeze in worry. She turned towards her sister, and Allissia had fear shining in her eyes. Nyssa's heart broke at the sight. "What's happening?" Nyssa was silent for a long moment before answering.

"There's trouble, Alli. All of Narnia is in trouble. We must ride to the palace and tell King Caspian of this."

"We get to go to the palace?" said Alli happily. Nyssa smiled at this, a real smile, as she nodded. "Wait - what about Father? And Alqua?" Nyssa felt a rather painful lump rise in her throat. Tears brimmed in her hazel eyes, blurring her vision and causing her to pause her strapping the saddle onto Lintal

"They will meet us there," she managed to croak out. Allissia didn't say anything after that, sensing that her sister was going to fall apart at the seams. Just then Alqua appeared in the stables.

"Gods save us, we will need all the luck and skill we have tonight," she murmured before striding over to Nyssa. "Are you ready?"

Nyssa unconsciously clutched her mothers necklace, the silver chain cool against her hot skin. Her father had always told her that her mother had been very brave and courageous. He used to tell her that she was a lot like her mother. '_I just wish I could be brave and courageous tonight, just like you, Mother_,' thought Nyssa sorrowfully. The lump in her throat grew larger, and she tried to swallow.

"Ready as I will ever be," said Nyssa, fighting back the fresh wave of tears. Alqua was silent for a moment, then embraced the young woman. Nyssa hugged her fiercely for a few minutes, then Alqua let her go to go hug Allissia. When she had finished, Allissia mounted Lintal first, Nyssa climbing on behind her and grabbing the reins.

"Gods be with you, my ladies," whispered Alqua. Nystaurë and Allissia nodded in unison.

"And with you, my friend," said Nyssa. Alqua gave her a sad smile, which Nyssa returned.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream ripped through the town; a scream that seemed to originate from the woods. It was filled with such terror and grief that it sent shivers down Nyssa's spine. Alqua gasped and ran towards the door to check on the town.

"GO!" she screamed, and Nyssa paused for a spilt second before kicking Lintal. The horse reared slightly before racing out of the stables

The horse battered through the nearby trees, the branches whipping by, always missing Nyssa by inches. Allissia leaned into Lintal's neck to protect herself, the black cloak she was wearing making her blend into the darkness. All was quiet in the cape of the forest, until they broke through the forest's edge and realized they were running through the plains of Narnia. A fierce wind blew through, rippling the long grass and throwing back Nyssa's hood, baring her head to the cold. Her long auburn hair, tied back in a half-plait, whipped behind her as the horse beneath her pounded across the plains. The moon illuminated the open fields, allowing the young woman full view of her path to the palace. '_Riding hard, less than a day's ride from home_,' she thought with a small spasm of relief; only a mere flicker of it. '_We will be there soon, gods willing_.'

* * *

It was afternoon in Narnia, the sun at the highest point in the sky. A stream nearby rushed through the crevices of the rocks and soil. The trees were whispering amongst themselves, the animals nearby doing the same.

A crack in the underbrush was the only warning. Not a mere two seconds later, a pitch black horse rushed through the underbrush, splashing through the stream, never stopping. The horse's riders were cloaked in black wool, their hoods obstructing their faces, despite the heat from the sun.

"Come on, Lintal," muttered the larger rider.

As the horse broke through the tress onto a grassy plain, the rider saw a large castle situated deep inside a large fortress.

"The palace!" cried Allissia anxiously over the wind and sounds of the horse's hooves.

"We're almost there!" replied Nyssa, and she urged Lintal to go faster. Right after saying this, she sensed something was wrong. She then heard the sounds of hooves pounding on the earth; more than one horse was running nearby. '_We're being followed_!' Nyssa shrieked in her head.

She looked behind her; it was a mistake. A rider, cloaked in black, atop a black horse with sinister red eyes, was pursuing her. She could not make out the rider's face; it was as if he did not have one. Nyssa looked back ahead of her. In the corner of her eyes, on both sides, she could see two more riders approach.

"Allissia, stay close to me," whispered Nyssa in her sister's ear.

"What's wrong?" asked Alli, but she never got her answer. Because at that moment, a arrow whipped past, missing her younger sister by inches. Nyssa roared in outrage as Alli screamed. She whipped out her own bow and fired on the nearest of the black riders. She heard the arrow hit, but no scream came. Not even a hiss of pain or a grunt. As she looked towards her intended target, she saw the arrow protruding out of the rider, yet he was still upright. She stared at the rider for a long moment, until he turned to look at her. As she stared, the arrow disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. She heard an ethereal shriek emit from it, and the others did the same, like a battle cry. Nyssa began to panicked, adrenaline pulsing cold and fast through her veins. What were these things? They were not human, that much was clear.

"Alli, are you alright?" she asked in a muted voice as she urged Lintal even faster. She was well in front of the dark riders pursuing them now, thanks to the speed of her horse, but she could still arrows being volleyed behind her.

"Nyssa, are we being attacked?" cried Alli, but she never got an answer. One of the dark riders ran right in front of them, causing Lintal to rear violently. Alli grabbed Lintal's neck, but Nyssa was thrown off. She hit the ground hard, the breath whooshing out of her lungs as she landed on her back.

"NYSSA!" screamed Alli as she frantically grabbed the reins of the rearing horse, trying to calm him down as four other riders circled the duo. As the horse began to settle, the dark rider blocking Alli's way moved aside. Alli and Nyssa stared at him, or more likely, it.

"Move assside, young one," it hissed, it's voice like a snake. "We will not harm you. We want her," he said softly, nodding towards Nyssa. '_Gods above_,' she thought in horror. '_They must work for the Nerulundo_!'

An idea dawned on Nyssa in a second. She jumped up and knocked the nearest one off it's horse. Using the two second time window of surprise, she drew her thin sword jumped on the horse and charged through the barricade, smacking Lintal on the hind quarters with her sword as she ran. Lintal charged after Nyssa and they raced for the city as the riders followed them, right on their heels.

As they got closer, Nyssa saw archers appear on the wall's ledge, ready to volley at them. She prayed that they knew who to shoot at. She the archers release their bowstrings and she watched the arrows hit the black riders behind her. She raced for the drawbridge, the thing that could change the fact whether they lived or died. If the closed that gate at the right time, they would be safe. Otherwise…she couldn't bear to think about.

She heard the whiz of an arrow before it hit her steed squarely in the head. The steed dropped, and she flew off, rolling for 10 yards before she was able to get up. The breath flew out of her lungs; she gasped as she staggered to get upright. She could hear the riders behind her screeching their abnormal battle cry as they gained ground on her. Frozen for a split second in fear, she had to think quickly. If she ran, she could be captured or the soldiers would be close enough to save her. If she stood and fought, she would most definitely be captured… or killed.

Nyssa turned on her heel and ran as fast as her long legs could carry her, adrenaline once again pumping through her. She saw Alli up ahead, riding under the portcullis as they guards swarmed her. She could see them asking her what was happening, and her sister, as usual, was losing her temper on them, screaming at them and telling them to help Nyssa.

She heard the sound of a sword being raised to strike before it came down. She froze in place, making the rider overshoot her. Using this advantage, she ran around the horse, drawing her curved sword. One of the riders had jumped off his horse and was charging her, his sword drawn. He looked like an overgrown bat, except this bat would kill you on sight. Nyssa spun around and held her ground, raising her sword, ready to fight.

An arrow came out of nowhere, striking the rider squarely in the face. It screeched in pain, flailing it's arms. An arm reached out and grabbed the back of Nyssa's jerkin, pulling her up onto the back of another black horse. For a second she panicked, but then she realized that it was one of the guards had saved her.

"Go, go, go!" she cried, and the guard urged the horse to move. She wrapped her left hand around his waist, her right still gripping her sword.

They passed under the portcullis, to Nyssa's relief. She jumped off the horse, the guard right behind her. She turned to face her savior, only to feel an excruciating pain hit her hard in her right shoulder. She screamed and collapsed; black stars danced before her eyes.

The last thing she saw was the figure of tall, dark, and handsome man, leaning over protectively.

* * *

**I have a question. How old is Caspian supposed to be in Narnia 2? Let me know!**

**Love always,**

**_B.A.T._**


	2. ANNOUNCEMENT! please read

_**Hey everyone!**_

_**Wow, a LOT of time has passed since I last updated this. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm not dead (ROFL) and I'm still interested in this story.**_

_**I've found that I've become very serious about what I write nowadays. I wanted to ask your opinion on whether I should rewrite it. I still love The Chronicles of Narnia (especially Prince Caspian - much love for Ben Barnes), and I haven't given up on this fan fiction. I like the whole plotline that I came up with in my head a long time ago (which I actually still remember), but I think this story could be remodeled to meet more readers appetites. I've just had a lot of other projects going on, including some original fiction works over on FictionPress that I'm very serious about working on. Please tell me your opinions on my decision, and I really want to get back into writing fan fiction.**_

_**I love you all, and forgive me for not updating for a while!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Blood Always Tells**_


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